22+ Label Examples, Templates & Design Ideas in PSD

Imagine if the items you see at the grocery store didn’t have labels attached to them. Do you guess what a product is based on its color and consistency? Labels are more than just a decorative component of an item, as they can often be used to communicate information about the product, company, or event that they represent.

Table of Contents:

Given the importance of labels in various industries and settings, creating an effective label should be done with care. So in this article, let’s look into the basics of a label design along with a few guidelines on how you can craft one.

Elements of a Label

1. Graphics: The graphic elements of a label play a critical role in its existence. That’s because the colors and illustrations of a label have the ability to attract a person’s attention and convey a message. It doesn’t have to be anything too dramatic, as long as it remains appealing to the eyes and relevant to your purpose. Keep in mind that whatever you incorporate into the layout may affect the next element on this list.

2. Readability: Typography is not something you take for granted. If the text elements of your label are difficult to read, people may not appreciate the amount of effort they have to exert just to understand something on an item that might not be of benefit to them. Thus, you need to choose a font that is of the right style and size to allow quick and easy comprehension.

3. Material: This can vary from label to label. Some designers use a clear label for transparency, making it easy for customers to see the product inside a bottle, jar, or bag. Handcrafted labels, on the other hand, use a thicker card stock to keep the label durable. Vintage labels also add a more personalized touch and feel, which is perfect for prizes and giveaways at an event.

4. Size: The size of the label would depend on the item it is attached to along with the amount of information it carries. Perhaps you can use a small product label for homemade goods you wish to sell at a community gathering, like an oval-shaped label to wrap around a jar of strawberry jam. It doesn’t matter what size you use, as long as it successfully communicates your brand to customers.

5. Contact Details: This is especially vital among luggage labels and product labels. Your contact information is something that customers and investors will refer to if they have any complaints, inquiries, concerns, or suggestions they’d want to raise. This may consist of your phone number, mailing address, email address, website, and even your social media accounts. This will keep you and your audience connected long after a product has been consumed.

Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Bottle Label

Nestle Water Bottle Label

Nutella US Packaging Label

Oral-B Pro-Health Pulsar Toothbrush Label

Suave Professionals Shampoo Bottle Label

How to Create an Eye-Catching Label

It’s one thing to know what makes a label good in the eyes of viewers, but it’s another thing to translate this knowledge into an actual product. To help you create a label that’s worth the attention, refer to the steps listed below:

1. Conceptualize your design: Before you jump into the actual process, always begin with a draft. Think about the purpose of the label and the marketing goal you hope to achieve. This will help you brainstorm and decide on all the elements that need to be incorporated into your layout. When finished, you can create an outline which will serve as the foundation of your label design.

2. Craft your label: Unless you want to do everything by hand, look for a good editing software to create your label. You can choose from Adobe Illustrator to Microsoft Word, as long as the tools available in the said application fit your personal requirements. But if building a label design from scratch doesn’t excite you very much, you can always opt for a ready-made template instead. That way, you won’t have to worry about finding the right dimensions and formats for your label.

3. Customize your layout: Templates are specially designed to cater any given purpose. Because of this, personalizing your layout is extremely important to help establish your brand and to stand out from the competition. Apart from your business logo, you might want to include your brand colors as well. Anything that would remind people of you will be a great addition to your label.

4. Finalize your label design: Whether or not you have a large chunk of text elements on your label, always remember to proofread your entire layout before printing. Review the label for any errors that may have been overlooked during the previous steps, such as spelling or grammar errors and mistakes in the alignment and placement of certain items.

5. Choose the right paper stock and finish for printing: For the last step of the process, decide which paper stock and finishing to use. Your decision should be based on the quality of the material and your budget for printing. Keep in mind that whatever you choose will greatly contribute to the final look and feel of your label.

Simple Tips to Design a Good Label

Now that we’ve covered the basics of crafting a label, let’s see how you can enhance the look of your label with the help of these useful tips:

Choose noticeable elements: Walking down a supermarket aisle, you see dozens of goods lying on the store shelves. Which one catches your eye first? Naturally, something with the most visually pleasing layout is bound to garner the most attention. It’s a good idea to choose colors or patterns that are unique enough to stand out from the crowd.

Keep text brief and to the point: Be sure to include only key information about the item on your label. That way, you won’t be wasting a reader’s time on details that won’t matter to them. Considering the limited amount of space available on your layout, you need to be wiser with your decisions regarding what to include.

Make use of white space: Adding one too many text and design elements to your label won’t do you any favors. Not only will this generate a cluttered layout, but this will also make your label appear cheap and unreadable. It’s best to separate elements by applying white space in between words, images, and other sections. This can also help emphasize certain details on your label by drawing a person’s attention toward it.

Maintain originality: If you don’t want to be mistaken for another person or brand, learn to see the value in originality. Aim for a label that is unique, memorable, and presentable to your target audience. Take the time to study your leading competitors in the market and find out what you should do and shouldn’t do with your label design.

Add a barcode: Now this is something that’s completely optional, as not all labels require one. Barcodes are often used to track items on your inventory list and to provide information about the product through an electronic scanner. Most companies use these barcodes to help other wholesale and retail businesses sell their products as well. However, it’s best to add these barcodes only when completely necessary.

Types of Labels

If you’re planning to create a label for the packaging of your offered products, consider using any of the following label types:

Dry Peel Labels: With an adhesive used to temporarily hold the label in place, a dry peel label is the type of label that can easily be removed from the container it comes with. This is perfect for consumers who wish to reuse the container for something else. You can also add another label underneath it to provide additional information about the product.

Fold Out Labels: If you’re looking to provide additional content to your label without overlapping elements, then fold out labels can do just that. These labels are usually folded and stacked together to unveil a copy only when needed. This is often used by businesses that want to tell a story about their brand and products through a lengthy copy. You may also see wedding label examples.

Reseal Labels: Arguably the most efficient label type of the bunch, reseal labels allow consumers to reseal the packaging or container it comes on using the adhesive side of the material. This is perfect for adding convenience and functionality to your products for customers to benefit from.

Prime Labels: These type of labels carry your brand at the front and center of the material. To some shoppers, knowing the name and brand of the item is enough to make them want to buy it, especially if you’ve already made a name for yourself in the industry. A prime label can come in a foil stamp, specialty coating, tactile varnish, and other possible enhancements. You may also see RSVP label designs

Label FAQs

What is a private label?

This refers to a product that is exclusively manufactured for a retailer to market under its own brand name. The said products are often priced at a cheaper rate compared to other competing brands. In fact, you’re likely to discover that some pain relievers, cough syrups, and bandages are all manufactured by the same company. While they may come in different names and packaging labels, the small logo design printed at the back of the product will tell you all that you need to know.

What are the features of a good label?

A label design plays a crucial part in your promotional efforts. It has the ability to convince customers to choose your brand over nearby competitors through a creative and informative design. To do so, the label must consist of vibrant colors, great graphics, readable fonts, and a fabulous finish. These qualities are enough to pique one’s curiosity and increase the possibility of a sale.

What are the major functions of labeling?

There are five important functions of a label: to describe a product and specify its contents, to identify a product or brand, to grade a product, to help promote a product, and to provide information required by law. While this may not be applicable to all types of labels, they are mainly essential to items that are distributed and consumed by the public, such as food labels, bottle labels, and packaging labels.

And there you have it! Create captivating labels today with the help of the stunning templates and design ideas provided in this article.